OTTAWA — The federal government is at risk of making a "climate change detour" if it decides to build a string of small nuclear reactors, says an Ontario advocacy group against radioactive pollution.

"We are in a climate crisis," said Lynn Jones of Concerned Citizens of Renfrew County and Area at a press conference in Ottawa Tuesday. "We need the government of Canada to take an unprecedented leadership role on this."

Jones brought up the recent United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report warning countries have a little more than 11 years to mitigate the effects of a rapidly warming Earth.

"We can't afford to take this detour right now to enhance the profits of a few multinational private sector nuclear businesses. Every dollar we spend now is important," Jones said. She was accompanied by Green Party Leader Elizabeth May.

The advocacy group said it filed a petition with the auditor general over concerns tax dollars will be used on nuclear instead of renewable energy.